It is not uncommon today to provide for scanning of information for use in electronic data processing. For example, since the 1950s banks have used Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) in automating the sorting of checks based upon information contained thereon, such as issuing bank and/or account information. For example, the E-13B MICR character set has been adopted as a standard to facilitate the clearing of checks in commerce in the United States through scanning of information printed thereon in that character set. Similarly, the CMC-7 MICR character set has been adopted for use in some parts of Europe and Asia.
Scanning equipment utilized in scanning MICR codes, such as the aforementioned E-13B and CMC-7 MICR character sets, has traditionally been costly and relatively bulky. For example, banks have typically implemented a magnetic and analog system that passes a check in front of a sensor to sample and amplify the magnetic field associated with MICR characters imprinted thereon. The system would determine which character is then being read by judging characteristics of the associated magnetic field.
Although such systems are desirable because they allow for high speed scanning of a large volume of checks, the scanning technology has typically required significant shielding and document feeding apparatus. For example, shielding is required to avoid the electromagnetic emissions in the environment, such as from other electronic equipment or even from components of the scanner equipment itself, from interfering in the sampling of MICR character magnetic fields. Generally, a significant amount of metal, such as disposed to form an electromagnetic shield around a sensor cavity, is provided in the scanning apparatus to prevent the leaking of electromagnetic interference. Such shielding not only adds to the weight of the system, but it also adds to the cost of an already extremely complex system.
Moreover, scanners implemented in providing high speed scanning of checks have typically required very precise control of the scanning velocity, e.g., the rate at which a check is passed by a sensor, in order to accurately sample the relatively small magnetic field associated with the MICR characters. Accordingly, scanning systems capable of reading MICR characters have utilized a controlled feed path in which checks, or other documents having information to be scanned, are gripped by a motorized feed mechanism, such as a rubber nip roller coupled to a motor rotating at a controlled and constant velocity, to transport the characters across a sensing area at a known and constant rate.
Advances in optical scanning have allowed the use of optical sensors, such as to take snapshots of a check being scanned, in place of the aforementioned magnetic sensors. However, such alternative scanning sensing apparatuses continue to be plagued with problems, such as the aforementioned problem of requiring a controlled scan velocity to facilitate accurate scanning of information. For example, the optical image of the scanned characters will be distorted as a function of the scan velocity. Accordingly, a controlled scan velocity, such as is provided using the aforementioned motorized feed mechanism, is utilized to provide a controlled scan velocity.
However, it is not uncommon today for the situation in which scanning is to be accomplished to present challenges both with respect to the size of scanning equipment and the cost of the scanning equipment to be utilized. For example, it is common today to scan information with respect to a patron making a purchase at a point of sale (POS). According to a common scenario, a patron tenders a credit card having a magnetic stripe thereon for scanning of the patron's credit account information and authorize a bank to issue payment for the purchase being made. Accordingly, a patron's credit card is typically passed through a slot having a magnetic stripe reader head disposed therein for reading information encoded on the card's magnetic stripe.
Generally, the POS environment presents a limited amount of space available for deploying scanning equipment. Moreover, POS terminals are typically deployed in relatively large numbers, such as to provide a large number of checkout positions in a store and/or to provide a large number of individual store locations.
Magnetic stripe readers have been developed which require relatively little space and which are relatively inexpensive, such as may be embodied as a slot with magnetic read head in a computer keyboard or POS terminal. Unfortunately, the smallest MICR scanners available today for use as POS check readers are relatively large and expensive as compared to the magnetic stripe readers. Specifically, POS check readers typically continue to employ shielding as described above. Moreover, precisely controlled feed path mechanisms, such as in the form of a rubber nip roller driven by a stepper motor assembly, are included to provide a controlled and constant scan velocity.
For example, a POS check reader configuration in common use today provides a “horseshoe” or U shaped check feed slot having knurled rubber roller connected to a motor disposed therein. As a check is inserted into the feed slot, the roller, rotating at a controlled velocity associated with the operation of the motor, engages the check and feeds the check across the sensor at a constant velocity. The use of such a controlled feed mechanism has been found not to be conducive either to a relatively small implementation or to providing a relatively inexpensive unit which may economically be deployed in large numbers.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for systems and methods providing for scanning of information, such as characters or symbols, which are relatively small and inexpensive. A need exists in the art for such scanning systems and methods to provide reliable scanning without requiring a controlled scan velocity.